


Until the World Caves In

by Beautiful_Darkside



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-06-06 19:34:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6767056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautiful_Darkside/pseuds/Beautiful_Darkside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A dark AU in which Robin gives herself up in order to protect her family.  Takes place in the apocalyptic past the future children come from.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Caged Bird

**Author's Note:**

> I've had an idea for this huge story in my head for a while, and I'm just finally starting to get it out here now. This one shouldn't be longer than 5-10 chapters (I think), and sets up the next one. Please give me some feedback - I'd like to know if my writing is any good and not just the ramblings of a madwoman XD

“I will always love you. Until the skies fall down, and the world caves in.”

His words echoed in her mind as she clung to herself in her cold, damp cell. Scars marred her wrists from the chains she’d been kept in, “for her own safety” he’d claim. Safety. Ha. Like such a thing could exist in the Plegian Courts.

She knew she was walking into a trap from the moment she had told her husband she was going, yet she couldn’t live with herself if she did not try. Her bastard of a father had kidnapped their little girl in an effort to lure her out of hiding, and it worked. She had the choice between leaving in a futile attempt to save her, or wait until one by one Morgan, Julian, and Libra were taken from her as well.

Alice. Their little ball of sunshine Alice, all warm smiles and hugs, was gone. Validar had told her cruelly just how much he enjoyed listening to her beg for mercy as his goons had tortured her, attempting to extract information from the five year old. But of course, there was none to be had from a child so small, so he had her killed out of spite.

Still, it was better for her to sit here in this hellish nightmare than to be at home, putting her friends and family in jeopardy, even if she was unable to stop him in time. She would buy them a little more time to figure out a way to stop Grima from returning – to banish him from this world permanently. Otherwise, she still had the friendly dagger she had squirreled away under one of the floor tiles. If she feigned compliance and buried it in her own breast at just the right moment, maybe it would just be enough to work.

She pulled it out of its hiding place to pass it back and forth through her hands, her memories taking her back to her days with the Shepherds. It was there that she had learned to keep so many of them on her person at once. On more than one occasion Libra had ran his hands over her body to see just how many she had hidden, and was surprised on every occasion that the answer always seemed to be just one more than what he had found. “Which is exactly how I was able to smuggle this one in in the first place”, she thought to herself as she returned the small weapon to its hiding place.

 

The heavy wooden doors at the end of the hall creaked open, alerting her that someone was approaching. She inclined her neck for a better view, but didn’t recognize the man who had walked in. He had long while hair not unlike her own, sharp facial features, and walked with an air of nobility. She had to admit, he had a bit of resemblance to her older son, Julian, although his features were a bit prettier due to his father’s fey-like beauty. He carried with him a tray of food, a thick blanket, and a long black ribbon which she immediately recognized.

“I’ve brought you better food and some warmer bedding,” he offered, his voice soft with concern. Her brow furrowed in confusion at the kindness of the stranger. He gave her a kind smile. “The maids tell me you’ve refused everything you’ve been given so far, although I can’t say I blame you.” She grimaced at the thought. 

“That ribbon…can I have it first?” she asked in a small voice. He nodded, pausing momentarily to unlock the cell and place everything inside. Her hands went to it immediately, first smelling it to catch any remaining scent of her lost child, then clutched it protectively at her chest. Hot tears slid down her face as she finally let herself go. He sat down beside her, rubbing comforting circles in her back until she stopped. 

"I...I'm so sorry," he started. "If it helps at all, I saw to it that she had a proper burial." No response.

“I’m Solomon,” he offered slowly, figuring it would be best to properly introduce himself now rather than later. She looked up at him, cautiously meeting his gaze. “I’m…” “Robin, I know”, he finished. 

She gave him a puzzled look. “It’s clear that you have a position that is high in my father’s court. Please tell me that he does not intend for us to marry and be another part of his…er…breeding program.” She shuddered at the thought.

He let out a muffled cough to show his discomfort at the situation. “Ugh, no, that’d be gross. Plus you’re already happily married.” She gave him a small smile at this, thinking back to happier times spent with the man she loved more than anything. “No Robin, I’m…I’m your half-brother.”


	2. Broken Past, Broken Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin gets to know her half brother a little better, while Chrom asks Libra an important question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And chapter 2 is up! I'm gonna try to post a chapter a day or every other day if my schedule will cooperate with me enough to do so. Still unsure as to how long this is gonna be, but hopefully I can wrap it up in under 10 chapters. I hope you're enjoying the story so far :)

Ah. That made a lot more sense now. 

“My brother?” she asked, still a bit unsure as to how this had happened in the first place.

“I’m afraid so,” he replied. “Although I’d much rather not be the spawn of that bastard we call father.”

“Well that makes two of us,” she retorted. He chuckled. “Father remarried after your mother spirited you away in the night when you were small. Wanted to see if he could get lucky twice and sire another suitable host for Grima. Fortunately for me it didn’t work, but that meant you’d have to be dragged back here eventually. Sorry.”

Robin sighed audibly at this. “Another concubine, right?” He nodded. “Of course. My mother…she told me she was raped.” She was visibly shaken by the memory of her mother’s words. “That the Grimleal have been forcing their women into bondage for centuries, trying to breed a vessel. That’s all I ever was to him.”

“But at least your mother still loved you enough to get you the hell out of here,” he responded sadly. “I..I never knew mine, even as a child. She was killed shortly after I was born. Could have been ‘punishment’ for not producing a child with the mark of Grima, could have been so she wouldn’t try to run with me, I don’t know.” He removed a lacy monogrammed handkerchief from a hidden pocket somewhere within his robes to dab carefully at his eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, offering him a hug which he willingly accepted. 

“S’okay. Can’t say I that know what I’m missing, now can I?”

She shook her head in response. “No, but it’s probably better than always being on the run from your own goddamn father. Robin shifted around uncomfortably for a moment. “Speaking of which, won’t you get in trouble for being here? I’m guessing he wouldn’t be happy to hear you’ve been ‘fraternizing with the enemy’.”

He shrugged his shoulders, then stretched his arms luxuriously. “I might, but I don’t really care at the moment. Besides, I might not get another chance to meet my older sister.”

She smiled at this, punching him in the arm affectionately. “I’ll make you a promise then. Come back once a day, and I’ll tell you a story. About my travels, my life, my family, anything.” 

He was excited at the idea of it, though he wouldn’t admit to it. “Only if you promise to start eating again. If not for me then…” his eyes trailed off to the ribbon wrapped tightly around her fingers. “Then do it for them. For your family back home. You mustn’t lose hope.” At this he offered his hand to shake on the promise. She accepted. “Deal!”

He stayed with her to make sure she kept her word, then left to return to his duties elsewhere in the castle. And for the first time since arriving in Plegia, she had hope.

 

HE haunted her dreams, his voice whispering foreboding words into her mind, the one place she should be safe.

Why do you run from me so, little bird? You know you cannot escape your destiny.

The voice ‘hmpfed’ inside her mind.

No matter. I will still break those pretty little wings of yours, and tear out your feathers, one by one.

 

Back in Ylisse, Chrom had gathered the remaining shepherds to come up with a new strategy to stop Validar from trying to resurrect Grima. Though he was still quite young, Morgan had taken on his mother’s place as tactician, with his father at his side keeping him grounded. After all, no one knew Robin better than the priest.

The meeting had dragged on for hours with no real consensus, other than the fact they were ‘Royally Screwed’, as Sully so eloquently put it. 

“Hey Libra, can I ask you something?” 

“Certainly Chrom. How may I be of service to you?” Libra looked up from one of the journals of notes Robin had left behind. He could see the concern and worry that filled the exalt’s eyes, easily discerning that the man had not been sleeping well as of late. Nor had he since Robin left.

“Libra…” his voice paused as he mustered up the courage to ask a question he feared was too personal for the priest to answer. “Libra, how on Earth did Robin convince you to stay behind, while she walked straight into the inferno?” He stuttered for a moment, trying to retract his words. “I…I know you’re a great husband to her, and I think you made the right decision, but…how?”

He sat in silence for a moment, stroking his chin as he collected his thoughts. “Well, it certainly wasn’t easy, but Robin told me I absolutely had to stay so…so that my boys would only lose one parent instead of two.” He choked out those last few words, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. “I…she knew how deeply affected I was being abandoned as a child, and didn’t want that for our own. She knew I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I left them all alone.”

Chrom nodded in understanding, offering a small smile to help comfort him. “I’m…I’m deeply sorry for your loss. We all are. First Alice, and then you have to deal with Robin being gone,” he shook his head in disbelief. “I am so, so sorry.”

Libra glanced back up again, teardrops now mingling with his wife’s handwriting on the page he had been reading. “Me too… but I…I still have the two wonderful sons she’s given me to protect. Love. Cherish. And I will do that, until my dying breath.”

“Of course. I’m…glad you still have the strength to carry on,” Chrom replied. “Because if it was my wife and child, I know I certainly wouldn’t be able to.”

He patted him on the shoulder before getting up to leave. “If there’s anything we could do for you, anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask. I know we haven’t always been on the best of terms but…we’re here for you. All of us.”

Libra lowered his head in acknowledgement. “May Naga bless you, and…thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, please comment? Comments mean I'll work to get the next chapter up sooner, if I know there are actually people waiting on me to get this thing done XD


	3. Fears, Hopes, and Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door to her dungeon opened four times that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me long enough, but here it is! My longest chapter yet, and by far the best. I think it's finally coming together.

The door to her dungeon opened four times the next day.

 

The first was the castle maids, bringing breakfast and forcing her along into the bathing chambers to get her cleaned up a bit. Though Robin wasn’t exactly thrilled at the thought of displaying her naked body in front of anyone but her husband, she welcomed the chance to let the warm, clean water cleanse her once more.

 

The second was Validar, back for another round of mind torture in an attempt to break her will. Although he could inflict this pain on her from anywhere within his domain, he preferred to deliver it personally.

_Had enough yet, little bird? No matter. It’s only a matter of time until you arise as Grima, like a glorious phoenix from the ashes of your past life._

‘I was HAPPY in that life,’ she fought back. ‘I have a husband who loves me. Children. One of which you were so kind as to murder in cold blood. Your own grandchild. Or have you forgotten already?’

_Tis’ no matter. She was too tainted by that fool priest you married anyways._

‘You leave my husband out of this!’

_Ha! How ironic is it that the true vessel of Grima married such a pious servant of Naga? You’re his mortal enemy._

She looked him straight in the eye defiantly. ‘Maybe you are, but I’d never do that to him. Ever.’

 _Oh, but you will. Besides…_ he raised his eyebrows at this. _All will perish when Grima awakens anyways._

‘That means you too, you sadistic bastard!’

He chuckled at this, grinning maliciously. _And what does that make you, my daughter?_

She turned to throw the nearest object at him through the cell bars. It was metal. It hurt. Success!

_Tch. You’ll pay for this later._

Robin screamed every curse she knew at him internally as he walked away. Even the ones in languages she did not yet fully understand.

 

The third time that infernal door opened, Robin didn’t even bother looking to see who it was.

 

“Robin,” her brother called in a soft voice. “Robin, it’s me. You’re safe now.”

She glanced up to see him staring back at her, white hair glistening in the dim light of the small lamps that hung from the walls. This time he had brought with him a tea service, sandwiches, and an old, worn-out looking journal, probably older than herself even.

“Solomon…” she attempted to speak, but couldn’t get any words out past his name. He carefully picked the lock to the cell door with a wave of his hand, then sat down next to her. 

“Shh…it’s okay now,” he said as he comfortingly wrapped her in his arms, rubbing soft circles into her back to help calm her down. She sobbed into his robes. Ordinarily she would find it too childish to do in the presence of anyone but Libra, but she was too weak emotionally to care. Her father had made the mistake of crossing a line he shouldn’t have today. No one insulted her husband and got away with it. Nobody.

“Robin…” he started again. “What happened in there? Do you…would it make you feel better if you talked about it?” She shook her head in response. “No, of course you wouldn’t.” He paused to think for a minute. “Okay then. How about this – you love your husband an awful lot, right? How about you tell me about him?” At this she gave him a small smile. 

“Alright. What do you want to know about him?”

Now he was getting somewhere. “Anything. Something happy. How about…when did the two of you finally realize you were in love with each other? How about that?”

“Of course!” she replied, her voice sounding happier by the minute.

 

They had met after Chrom recruited him in Plegia, some time after Emmeryn’s assassination. It wasn’t exactly a good time for morale within their small army, making the priest a welcome addition to their ranks. Still, he was a bit uneasy about the fact that Chrom had entrusted their lives to a Plegian woman who bore the Mark of Grima on her hand, a feeling that only got worse when he became closer to her. He didn’t expect someone like her to be so kind, or caring to well, everyone. The feeling was so unlike anything he had ever felt before that he almost didn’t recognize it – he had fallen in love with a very dangerous woman. Hard.

Late one night, he finally mustered up the courage to approach her as she was lost in her maps. They had already bonded over the shared pain of their own dark pasts, but he had one final question for her before he could confess his true feelings.

“Robin, I know we’ve known each other for a while now, but I’ve been wondering…” He struggled for a moment to find his words. “The Mark of Grima. Does it have any significance to you?”

Her gaze fell immediately in guilt. “It’s something I’ve been running from my whole life, I’m afraid,” she said sorrowfully. “I…the Grimleal believe me to be their chosen one, but I want no part of that life. I’m going to stop them, or die trying. It…it’s the least I can do for my mother. She raised me with the hopes that I might one day be able to stop all this – the rape, the incest, the murder – all of it.”

He nodded in agreement, both relieved by her words and disturbed by what she had been through. “I’m sorry it had to be that way. The mess you were born into…it’s horrible.” At this he boldly reached out in an effort to comfort her. Or was it merely an effort to get closer to her, to selfishly maximize body contact by holding her close, even for a moment? He didn’t care.

“So where will you go after the war?” he asked. “I’m sure you don’t want to spend the rest of your life running and hiding. Tell me your hopes. Your dreams.”

“No, I don’t,” she responded with a laugh. “I’m not really sure though. I know Chrom will make a place for me in Ylisse – he wants to take me on as one of his chief advisors, but other than that I haven’t really considered it yet. I guess I never really thought I’d make it this far.” 

“But surely there must be something,” he probed hopefully. 

“All I wish is that my children know nothing of the life I once lived. To live without fear, surrounded by love…” At this she gently brushed her hand over his, sending delightfully pleasant chills down his spine. “…Both of their parents there with them – that’s all I want.”

He smiled at this – it was a deep grin, that built up from deep within his soul and burst forth like the sun in the dawn, unable to be restrained by any force of will and turned up the corners of his mouth in a way that made her just want to kiss him. She realized after a moment that she was beginning to stare. “How about you?” she asked, mentally shaking herself out of it.

“The same,” he replied. The gentle squeeze he gave her hand implied there was something more to it than what he said. He took in a deep breath, mentally preparing himself to make the final plunge. “Robin…” He carefully cupped her face in the palms of his hands, like she was the most fragile, beautiful thing in the world. And to him, she was. “Robin, I…I love you.” He brushed her cheeks with his thumbs, waiting her response with baited breath. And when it came, it was everything he had ever hoped for.

“I love you too. So much.” She leaned in closer, finally bridging the gap between them to softly press her lips to his.

 

“So…” Solomon finally broke the silence that built up between them after her story had ended. “He knew everything about what you were – a priest of Naga – and yet he still chose to marry you?” He was awestruck.

“Yes,” she replied, the faint trace of a smile gracing her face. “I can’t say if it’s because of that that I love him so much, or his beauty, his kindness…” she drifted off for a moment, lost in the pleasant memories of her beloved’s gorgeous visage. “But I knew that as soon as I experienced it all, I knew I could love no other man.” 

“Wow,” was all he could say in response. 

“Do you have anyone who’s…special to you?” she asked with a mischievous grin. He blushed at the question. “That…that’ll have to wait for next time,” he said, slightly embarrassed.

 

The fourth, and final time the doors opened that day, it was the maids again, come to bring her dinner and check how she was holding up after her encounter with her father earlier that day. Much to their surprise, she was far from the broken wreck they’d expected to find. Though their master would be far from happy with his…less than stellar results, it gave them hope. Perhaps she would be a different kind of savior than the one most expected – one who liberated her people from their dark past, and ushered in a new future full of shiny new dreams and glittering promise. They could only hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of this chapter is based upon my headcannons that A: Robin and Libra bond very much on the shared darkness of their pasts, and their longing for the closeness of a loving family. Because of this, I cannot possibly see the two of them stopping at just one kid - they'd definitely want at least two or three, if not more, but Libra would probably stop her there out of a fear of hurting her/causing her more pain. B: AU Robin probably gets a kick out of marrying the one guy that would make her Grimleal ancestors roll over in their graves. Validar would HATE it if he ever found out his daughter married a priest of Naga.
> 
> The next chapter might take a little longer, as this one's gonna be a bit hard to follow up. Thanks for following :)
> 
> Thoughts/comments?


	4. Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late one night, Julian seeks to comfort his father and get answers. Angst/family bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long between updates. I'm finally out of school for the summer, which hopefully means I can start posting on a somewhat regular basis (as long as work doesn't wipe me out too much). Written mostly while listening to Jon Foreman's (Switchfoot) Wonderlands EPs Darkness and Dawn (just in case you wanted some mood music). I hope you enjoy it.

For the first time in a very, very long time, Libra felt alone.

He knew he shouldn’t – even with Robin gone in a futile attempt to rescue their little one, he still had two fine young boys to call his family. But without Robin, his dear, sweet Robin, Libra was completely and utterly lost. A ship lost adrift at sea without a mast nor rudders to guide it, destined never to reach the shores again.

He tossed and turned in a fitful attempt to sleep in their large empty bed, but sleep would not come. And what little he had gotten in the past few days was laced with nightmares – dreams of his parents leaving him all over again, of waking up to find his wife and children dead in their beds, throats slit. Robin had once told him she had a dream in which she had killed all their children to keep them out of the hands of Grima, and then herself. He shuddered at the thought. What had the world become?

Propping himself up, he picked up Robin’s pillow from where it sat next to him and drew it in close. The silken pillowcase still smelled very much like her. He inhaled deeply, becoming a little calmer with each passing breath. That is, until he heard the bedroom door creak open. He jumped and swore softly, reaching for the silver knife he had started keeping at the bedside, at Robin’s insistence. 

 

“Dad?” a voice called softly from somewhere in the dark. Instantly recognizing the voice, he quickly stowed his knife and fumbled to light a candle. The room was quickly bathed in its dim light, revealing the lean, lanky form of his eldest son in the doorway. 

“Julian? What are you doing up at this hour?” he asked, relief evident in his voice. The boy swiftly crossed the room to sit next to his father on the bed, immediately pulling him into a tight hug. 

“Just…worried about you,” he admitted bashfully. “Worried…about everything.” Libra offered him a small smile and ruffled his wispy white hair affectionately. He was his father’s son, green eyes and all, as Robin had told him many times.

“I’m…I’m afraid that can’t be helped,” he admitted. “These are some rough times we’re going through. You know…you’re old enough to realize what your mother was walking into, right?” The boy nodded. “I know….” His voice trailed off as he struggled to form his painful thoughts into a coherent sentence. “I know that Alice is probably….” His voice was choked off by a sob. Libra pulled his eldest son closer, rubbing soothing circles into his back as he had done for his wife, so many times before. “There there child. Dry those tears,” he said, offering him a handkerchief. His heart broke to see him like this, even more so at the thought that there was nothing he could do to console him. Julian clung to him like a lifeline. He needed to know that his father was there, that he was alive, that he was real. 

“I know…that she’s gone,” the boy slowly hiccupped. “But mother…she’s coming back to us, right? She promised.” Libra smiled sadly at the mention of his missing wife. Both had held their sorrows in for so long, and now the floodgates were finally becoming undone. He had felt like a failure as both a husband and a father for not being able to protect his family the way he felt he should. Robin was always the glue that had kept them together, and without her, he was lost. “Julian,” he paused to brush the hair out of his son’s face. “Julian, perhaps the hardest promises we make as parents are the ones we know we cannot keep.” He was struggling to hold back the tears at this point, and was slowly losing the battle. 

“But why?” Julian asked. “How could she leave us? We’re…we’re her family too!” he sniffed loudly. He had to stop for a moment to dry his own tears. “To protect us,” he said, voice wavering in hesitation. “She…she did it to protect us. All of us. We all knew that it was a trap, but it would buy us time.”

“So…Chrom, and Frederick…everybody…they all knew about this?” 

Libra nodded solemnly. 

“But that’s not fair!” he cried. “She has…she has a family to think of! She has us! How could…how could they allow her to be taken away from us like that? Does she…did she not love us?” He sniffed. “Were we never enough?”

“None of this was ever fair,” Libra sighed, gazing into those green eyes that echoed his own so much in a failed attempt to convey understanding to the boy. “She was born…no, bred to become the vessel to the most wicked demon the world has ever known. Your mother had always known this was coming. Everything she…everything we did, has always been to protect us. Because she loves us, very very much. More than life itself. And she would watch the world burn before she ever let anything happen to you without a fight.” 

_But you couldn’t even protect your own wife._ A voice chided inside his head. He felt like a failure for this – first for the loss of their youngest child, and again for not being able to protect his wife from her terrible fate. It was foolish, he knew, but it mattered not. He held his son close, fearful that he might lose yet another piece of his dwindling family.  
“Tomorrow…” He started again. “Tomorrow I will be convening with the other Shepherds to come up with a new plan of action. You may come, if you wish.” He stroked the boy’s cheek lovingly, savoring the soothing warmth at his fingertips.

“Alright,” he finally agreed after mulling it over in his head. “But…Morgan should come too. We shouldn’t…it’d be too soon to leave him alone.” 

Libra nodded in agreement, subconsciously tightening their embrace. “No. And…I think it’s about time he knows what we stand against. Both of you.” 

Julian nodded. “Of course Father. And…Dad? It…it isn’t your fault. I know you’re doing as much as you can, Morgan and I both do.”  
His words were almost too much for his poor heart to bear. “But…” 

“No,” Julian stopped him. “You mustn’t place blame upon yourself. You mustn’t lose hope,” he begged. “Because if even you give up…” He was visibly shaken by this point. “If even the greatest man of Naga gives up, then what does that leave the rest of us with?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it!
> 
> Hopefully the next chapter will be up by...Friday? Feel free to message me if I get too slow again. 
> 
> Please comment and let me know what you think, or just drop by to say hello! :D


	5. Light and Heavy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libra goes to talk with Chrom about what the future may hold, and what needs to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but I'm back! I had a death in the family that I had to come to terms with, plus all the drama that ensues (and I might have gotten a little too caught up reading XD). This chapter was fueled by a lot of Flyleaf for some odd reason, but I hope you enjoy it! Still a lot of angst obviously, but I promise my next series will be a happier one.

After being assured that both of his remaining children were safe and sound in their beds, sleeping and not attempting to slug through one of their mother’s thick tomes in Morgan’s case, Libra finally retired for the night. Eventually he managed to doze off himself for a bit, murmuring incoherently as he tossed and turned in his sleep.  


As always, he was the first one up in the morning. For as long as he could remember it had been his self-appointed task to fix breakfast before rousing the rest of the household. Robin was usually a bit grumpy when disturbed from her slumber, but a few well-placed kisses generally solved that. Remembering this gave him a renewed vigor to complete the difficult task that lay ahead of him, although he chided himself not to get his hopes up. Before long he was well on his way to the castle, children in tow.

 

The exalt paced up and down nervously as he waited for the coming meeting. In the past several years since their war against Plegia, he seldom had to hold a meeting with all the former shepherds in attendance, much less make a major decision without Robin present. In fact, the only time he could recall her ever missing one had been because she had been a bit…preoccupied, if you will, giving birth to her third child. 

Once he had sent the boys off to go explore until needed, Libra rapped his knuckles on the doorway to signal his arrival, to give Chrom a moment to collect his thoughts and regain his composure. They all were a mess at this point really, knowing things would only get worse from here on out. Chrom made a motion for him to come in so they could sit and talk privately before they had to discuss things with everyone else, as Libra probably had more information than most of the other Shepherds put together.

 

“I’m glad you could make it,” Chrom said cordially, offering a friendly handshake. Libra stared at the offending hand for a moment before accepting it, nodding in acknowledgement. Old habits die hard. 

“While I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, it’s good to know I’m still needed here,” Libra said with a chuckle. “Now then,” he motioned at the documents and paperwork Chrom had strewn around the table. “Shall we get to work?”

“Sorry this place is such a mess,” he began to apologize. “Robin…”

“…Used to take care of all this?” Libra finished, quirking an eyebrow in mock surprise.

“Yeah. It’s…it’s been really difficult here,” he said with some difficulty. “But of course you’d know that better than anyone. After all, you are her husband.” Chrom sighs.

Libra fidgets with the ends of his hair while trying to come up with a response. “Which is why I must work harder than anyone to fix this…this nightmare we’ve all found ourselves in.”

“We’re all here for you,” Chrom reminds him. Libra nods slowly, taking the words to heart. 

“Yes, I know,” he replies gently. “Thank you. Now I’m assuming you had more…pressing matters to speak of before discussing it with the others? A plan of action, perhaps?” The priest could not help but sound hopeful through all this. His wife’s optimism rubbed off on him during the previous war, and never quite left, although it wasn’t nearly enough to get him through her absence. Nothing ever would be, in his mind.

“I do, actually. Right here is a map of Plegia, and this is where she is most likely being held.” Chrom pointed to a figure drawn on the well-worn parchment. “It will take just a few days’ time to reach this time of year, a week max. However.…” This was the part he had been dreading. 

“It is a fool’s errand,” he said with a heavy sigh. 

“I’m afraid so,” Chrom replied in agreement. 

Libra clenched his fists, fighting to hold in the tears that threatened to fall, and was failing fast after noticing his wife’s handwriting scrawled all over the map and much of the paperwork. Chrom tentatively reached out to comfort him, unsure as to whether or not the fading of his resistance to touch applied only to Robin, or extended to those he considered friends as well. He tensed at the contact, but didn’t move further away as he once would have. It saddened Chrom to think of what horrors such a kind and gentle soul must have been through to end up at the point where merely touching him made him uncomfortable. The whole camp had rejoiced when he had shyly asked their tactician to be his wife, not just for the happiness they had found together, but for Robin’s insistent yet gentle loving being enough to break down the walls he had so carefully built up over the years. And now, they all mourned together too. 

“I’m sorry, old friend,” Chrom chokes out, gently grasping his shoulder to steady himself. “I wish we could have done more for you – you’ve offered us nothing but peace and comfort over the years, but we’re just so helpless now. I’m sorry.” Chrom took a moment to wipe his own tears away with his sleeve. 

“But we’re still going? Even though we know we’ll be marching to our deaths?” Libra asked, clearly befuddled by whatever half-baked scheme Chrom had cooked up. Chrom nods. 

“Well, not ‘We’, per say, but…well, I have a job for you. An important one.” 

“Oh,” was all he could say, taking the moment to settle back in his chair and brace himself for whatever was to come. 

“Have you heard of the Voice of Naga? I think she might be able to help us.” Libra merely nodded at the suggestion. 

“I’m not sure where you’re going with this, but I doubt even Naga could save us from this hell, should the Grimleal succeed in resurrecting Grima.” 

“I know,” Chrom replied, “I fear there is not much time left for this world, but if we were able to send the children back in time, we may be able to stop this. And I need you to lead them to her, to see if she'd be willing to send them back.” 

He quirks his eyebrows in disbelief at the suggestion. “Chrom, it would be foolish enough to send your best healer away at such a chaotic and uncertain time, but this is complete and utter madness! There are certain rules of physics we magic wielders cannot even bend. We cannot raise the dead, we cannot force someone to fall in love with another, and…time travel? Bah!” He threw up his hands at this. It sounded like a lecture Robin must have given him time and time again. “What makes you think it would even be remotely possible?” 

“Well…” the exalt replied thoughtfully. “I do have this.” At this he slips the Fire Emblem out of his pocket, complete with three of its precious stones. Libra’s jaw drops in response. “That…that could work. But what of the other stones?” 

He shakes his head dejectedly. “They were lost long ago. Maybe Validar has them, and intends to resurrect Grima with that somehow. Either way, while it’s not enough to send Grima back to sleep for another thousand some odd years, it should be enough power to send our kids back far enough to prevent all this from happening.”

The former war monk gives him a small smile in approval. “It could work, but how do they intend on resurrecting Grima without the Fire Emblem?”

“Dunno,” Chrom responded, absentmindedly tossing said object in the air and catching it. “The Plegians have always been awfully crafty folks, you should know that.”  


Libra chuckled in response. “Even if they built a near replica, Grima could only be resurrected at a fraction of his full power. But that’s…still got to be quite a lot. Either way, you need to guard that relic with your life.” He smirked at this, noticing Chrom was still tossing it around like a child’s plaything.

“You don’t think having a virgin sacrifice would make a difference, do you?” Chrom asked, half seriously. He placed the Fire Emblem back on the table, almost looking embarrassed at being caught. Almost.

The blond priest rested his hand under his chin, pondering the thought as his long golden locks danced across the table. “I…honestly couldn’t say that it would make any difference.” He reflected a moment more. “But in any case, I’m glad we’ve royally mucked that up if it does.” 

Chrom let out a hearty laugh at the comment, clasping him on the shoulder in praise. “Of course.” He stifled another laugh. “What of your children? Do either of them share the mark of Grima like Robin has?” 

“No, thankfully the gods have spared them of that.” Libra let out a sigh at the notion. “They both have strong magical abilities they seem to have inherited from both of us, but aside from Julian’s white hair there’s nothing that even marks them as Plegian.” 

“Good, good,” Chrom responded. “Well…” He paused, noticing Lucina had slipped her head in to signal they were needed elsewhere for another meeting. “I suppose now that we’re in agreement, it’s time we discuss this with the others?”

“Of course,” he replied, pushing his chair back to stand up. “I shall be there more for moral support than anything, though.” Chrom nodded, gently placing a hand on his back to guide him out of the room. The priest flinched once more, but didn’t do anything to further deter him. “Shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're done!
> 
> Feel free to remind me if I haven't posted anything in two weeks that I really should get back to this. I'm gonna try to come up with some form of schedule for posting, but it may be kinda off since I go back to school Thursday and still have a part time job (have I mentioned I'm an engineering major yet guys?) I think once I get this series wrapped up it'll be a little easier though - fluff is easier to write.
> 
> Questions/comments? Please?


	6. Endings and Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta-da! I'm back! Did you miss me?
> 
> I apologize for the wait, but once again my real life stuff got in the way again. First I had to deal with finals, and now I get to deal with the endless holiday rush at work. Fun fun fun DX
> 
> Soundtrack can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/user/luvaddict77/playlist/379AOJ1ABetExg7UDqi1Wx

The council meeting was perhaps the toughest one he’d ever seen, even worse than the one that had resulted in their failed attempt to save Emmeryn. But it had been decided that the remaining Shepherds would be split into three groups: one that was to be led by Sully and Vaike that would travel to Plegia, in a last ditch effort to negotiate with Validar and bring Robin home, a second led by Chrom and Frederick to protect those who would remain in Ylisse, and a third group led by Libra and Maribelle to escort the children to safety, if need be.  


A small group had already been sent to converge with the voice of Naga, to see what could be done, but Tiki had said that it would take a little more time for her to be able to send help. Time that they did not have. Libra tried to have faith that Naga would see them through it, but he knew even the faith of a saint wasn’t likely to save them. They needed a miracle. 

The Shepherds said their goodbyes, knowing full well it was likely the last time most of them would see each other. They had barely scraped by against the Valmese, but without Robin, they would almost certainly be marching to their graves.

 

The unit that had volunteered to face Validar in Plegia had been met with almost no resistance through the country’s vast deserts, right up until they arrived in the nation’s capital. All the while they knew that something was off – it struck fear into the hearts of all, just knowing that someone, or something was watching. Waiting, for them to play right into their trap.  


Validar stood at the gates dressed in all the radiant splendor befitting of a demon king, the harbinger of death and destruction. He greeted them with a malicious grin, a wisp of wicked black rimmed violet magic dancing across his fingertips.

“Well well well,” he crooned. “What do we have here?” He regarded them like a big cat might watch its dinner. Amused, but not the least bit threatened.

It took all their effort to keep their knees from quivering like jelly. Sully swore under her breath, stumbling slightly as she stepped forward. “We’ve come for what’s ours. Return the royal tactician to us, and no one gets hurt.”

He let out a cackle out the thought. “Yours? No no no.” He shook his head, smirking. “Robin is my own flesh and blood.”

“Ya lost the right to claim ‘er as family the moment you began planning on sacrificing yer girl to the fell dragon,” Vaike spat out. 

“That’s where you’re wrong,” he replied, his silvery tongue as smooth as silk. He lifted his gaze to the heavens and admired the darkening clouds his mages had conjured up. “Robin is no mere sacrifice. She is a gift from the gods. And I fully intend to give her back.” 

“You’re a sick bastard, that’s what you are,” Sully called out. 

The wind whipped around them, warning of the coming storm. Validar chuckled once more before speaking out in a perfectly even tone. “My fair lady, I can assure you I am perfectly sane. All I do is to prepare the way for Lord Grima, who will cleanse and purify our world.” 

She growled in response at his words – Validar was a madman with a deathwish. Although it was a title that she held, it was not one she appreciated being called. 

He scanned the crowd once more, scratching his chin with a long, slender finger as he searched for something that was not there. “Where is he? I thought for sure I would finally meet him in person.”

“Chrom? He’s not with us. Obviously.” Sully pointed out with a huff.

“No, not him,” Validar said with a hint of disgust. “I thought for sure He would be desperate to save his precious little songbird. My…son-in-law.” He shuddered at the word, as if it were physically painful to think that his daughter had somehow ended up married to a priest of Naga, despite his best efforts. 

“What? Of course he ain’t here!” Vaike cried out. “Too soft in the heart for this kind of work.” Sully nodded in agreement. “Believe me, he wanted to be here. Almost had to physically restrain him to get him to stay in Ylisse, but we eventually convinced him that his kids needed him more. Your grandsons, if you’ve forgotten.”

Validar merely inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Well that’s too bad,” he responded disdainfully. “I wanted to have a nice little chat with him. I’m none too pleased with him for that…or my daughter for that matter.” He cracked his knuckles, readying himself for attack. “I suppose I’ll have a chance for that later. You however, will not.” 

The Shepherds before him gulped in unison, recognizing the gleam of insanity in his eyes. There would be no coming out of this alive.  
Everything was in the hands of the Exalt now.

 

It had been a month. For one month she had been locked up in that cell, and it had been at least six weeks since she left home and fell right into her father’s trap. 

She wondered how her family fared without her and silently said a prayer to Naga to spare them from whatever hell lie ahead, laughing bitterly at the irony of it all. At first she had thought it was pure foolishness that she, the destined vessel of Grima had become so deeply involved with such a pious servant of Naga, but now she knew how wrong she’d been.  


He had given her a peace she never thought possible, and had loved him for it. No…love was not a strong enough word for hat she now felt for her husband. It was more of a raging inferno; fierce and strong and bold. She had loved him for the serenity that seemed to envelop him, no matter the situation. She loved him for his unending kindness – there was nary a mean bone in his body, although she knew the location of a few sarcastic ones. To leave him…to have to be separated like that, to meet her cruel destiny…it was the hardest thing she had done her whole life, but she was grateful for the time she had spent with him.

Her father’s torment had gone on long, but she could sense it was nearing its end. She didn’t have the strength, nor the willpower to resist much anymore, and could feel herself fading slowly. Her wrists and ankles were cracked and bloody from the iron shackles that she wore. She wondered for a moment if it were the iron in the shackles that were depleting her energy, if she was perhaps part fey, as she had teased her husband with the suspicion that he might be so many times before. “No, no, you’re just slowly rotting away in this cell,” she murmured to herself.

The door creaked open slowly, and it was anything but quiet. To her surprise she saw not Validar, back to torment her further, nor the cowering servants he employed, but Solomon’s mop of messy moon-kissed white hair. She straightened up a bit and wrapped her arms around herself as much as her bonds would allow, trying to conceal her disheveled appearance as much as possible. He regarded her with sorrowful eyes, wishing he could have done more for the sister he never really knew.

“Robin,” he whispered softly, causing her to look back up again. “Robin I’m…I’m so sorry.” He shook his head, fighting back tears. “He’s…he’s killed them. Father did.”

Pain filled her heart, but her facial expression remained vacant. The emotional trauma she had experienced at the hands of her father caused the complexity of his words to fail to register in her mind at the moment. Hope had left her long ago.

“Who?” her feeble voice spoke out. “Who was it this time?” Her shaky hand gripped the iron bars of the cell in an effort to stabilize the storm that clouded her thoughts.

“Some of your friends made a rescue attempt yesterday.”

Robin gasped before lowering her head in defeat. It clattered softly against her metal cage.

“They…they didn’t make it, Robin. The last ones were put to death at sunrise.”

“Which…which ones?” she asked, pain evident in her voice. “There wasn’t…there wasn’t a man with long blond hair amongst them by chance, was there?”

He shook his head vigorously. “No, no one like that. Though I didn’t have the chance to see the bodies myself, Father was clearly disappointed that your husband was not amongst them.”

Robin stared absentmindedly into the distance. Her gaze seemed to go right through him. “Good. That’s…good then, right?”

“Yes, Robin. Libra is still alive out there, fighting for you. For all of us.”

Her right hand clung tightly to the iron bars for safety as tears began to threaten her façade, the other attempting to hide her face in shame. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she choked out through muffled sobs. “This wouldn’t have happened if I had stayed home where I belonged. I should have listened to him. I should have listened.”

The tears streaming down her face mingled with the dirt and grime from the cell, leaving streaks across her cheeks. She tried in vain to wipe them from her face, but only succeeded in smudging them in more. Solomon fished around in his pocket for his handkerchief, then began dabbing at the grey blotches that rimmed her eyes. It broke him to see her like this, even more so knowing that their father was the cause of all their woes. 

“It’s…it’s not your fault,” he said with an exasperated sigh. “If you hadn’t come here on your own, he probably would have traveled to Ylisse himself to ferret you out, without a thought or a care for the lives he takes in the process. At least this way they’ll have a bit more time to plan against the coming of Grima...the end of the world as we know it.”

She took a deep breath as she tried to cope with all that was occurring as she sat there, shut off from the rest of the world. It was at this moment she had noticed how gaunt and pale he’s become in the past month or so. His eyes were rimmed in dark circles, the consequence of many sleepless nights, and appeared to be just as haunted as her own. He was fighting for them too – not all Plegians were as batshit crazy as her father was. 

“What will become of us?” she asked in desperation. “If Father succeeds in resurrecting the Fell Dragon? Is there any coming back from it?”

He sat for a moment, scouring his memory for any information that might be useful. “No matter what, this world, as we know it will die. Grima will bring nothing but death and destruction, and the Grimleal will use you as the vessel for their god whether you’re alive or dead.”

Robin nodded. “I figured as much. But can it be stopped, or at the very least undone once everything is set in motion?”

He gave her a tiny smile. “We cannot stop it from our position, but I am certain that Naga has not abandoned us in these dark times. Your talk of your beloved has given me hope. If there is anyone, anyone at all who could save us, it is the divine dragon herself.”

“Because balance must be restored to the world,” Robin replied, thinking out loud. “One cannot exist without the other – light and dark, day and night, good and evil. Life and death.”

“Exactly,” Solomon said with a nod, outstretching his hand to meet her palm at the bars that separated them. “Remember, dear sister: when things go from bad to worse, before you fade out and surrender to fate, this is not the end.” 

He met her eyes, trying to give her the strength she needed to live just a little bit longer, to give their allies more time. “When one door closes, another opens.” He entwined their fingers together, squeezing gently. “And no matter how large and terrifying the storm, the sun will always rise again. Have hope, dearest sister.”

 

Epilogue:

Weeks later, Libra led a small group of survivors, comprised mainly of the children of his fallen comrades to a meeting place Naga had told him of in a dream. They had fled in haste after Ylisse had fallen, the Fell Dragon unleashing its wrath on Chrom and the royal family for sealing it away in the past. He shuddered at the thought. There had been some reports that his wife had been seen conversing with Chrom before he was slain and the castle fell, but he had refused to believe them. Whatever had happened back there, there was no way that had been his wife. Robin was dead, that much he knew, even if there was never a body returned for burial. Grima had likely stripped that body of her soul so that only the husk remained before inhabiting it. 

He glanced up at the sky that was now a perpetual shade of twilight, threatening to fall, and wondered how he could be thinking of painting in a time like this. He chuckled to himself. Hope could do funny things, he’d learned. The journey had been long and perilous, and there had been many who had not made it. But he refused to dwell on it, as Naga had told him that only those who had not yet been born could pass through the portal. Something about affecting the time stream too much by introducing a double, he recalled. But he had faith that these children would succeed as their parents had in the wars before their time, and that somehow, someday, they would all be reunited again in another world.

*fin*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me long enough, but it's finally done. Hopefully the follow-up will be a lot smoother, as I find writing light hearted stuff much easier than all the doom and gloom. 
> 
> Comments and encouragement are always much appreciated, as they let me know that people are actually reading my stuff and I'm not just wasting my time here when I'm supposed to be sleeping :P (And it means I'll be more motivated to actually start the next chapter sooner. Especially now when I'm on break.)


End file.
